Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-08
coS,s1 poalanee and handed in the following
communication
COMMONWEALTH or vrRorSfA.)
SoNENSoR's OFFICE.
ktCHM0ND. Va. Docom her. $50


COMMONWEALTH or vTRcrSiA,)
GOVERNORS OFTcE.
! ~ RICHMOND, VA, Docom Der :, 1876.
40 ne CsRsroi assembly:
A required by law have tho bo,o- IN oorn-
! So"t.S Saee N 20 yo1 the condition OF the Common
| ~, o..t.i ~ eoq 70 recommend such measures A. Will
| IN my opinion promote tho prosperi,y of inc
,re, ne LEGISLATURE convenes at propitious
Sntsro ~ me history Of Virginia A prosperous
I ii.1p,." pvih@ % peace ana progress within her
nmii2, aHd wise DEGREES aud econom,c laws viii
10 expected and demanded by tho people Of
/ Nhclt representatives,
Z Ny executive duties began on tho Let day Of
january, 1874. The Lcgslafure Of iss5-'eb was
/ .ieauy IN ssioD. Tho vcxatious sore on the
9y D9ouy Iohtic was 'ho puOlic Debt, aud Il was AN
, Il~,t tcnaer 20 iho touch Of citizens within and
Witoou; tho limits Of tho state. Political parties
ay.s c.y S"ry Niih iis pain. aud faded Common
7 Ncath lamcnicd its duration With Tho belief
/ tnat from sound state Of public health would
+ ftel Now multiplied blessings. my attention
I Nos III once directed u such sanitary measures
~ NouIu lfoiGce results 20 much 20 be desired.
: ~ was cloarly The initial point upon which
: executive ~ork should begin.
hiior careful reflection I wns convinced that 2
( coniefenre between the State ard the represen-
utttle3 OF Eet creditors would not be injurious 20
o'ihor oni might be beneficial % both. In
/ message communicated So Tie Ccnerai Assembly
I fcofnary Is, 1856, therefore recommended that
"''mmli.oe ne appointed whoec duties should
20 llhihlF deuucd; whose powers should be
'stcitiiy prescribed. guarded. and limited; aud
whose mission ghould be 60 rnoet a commission
. lton the creditors And, wl&e urging tueln 10
Z hc'ede 70 settlement WlMse Obligations the
! NJalc could meet without increasing the burdens
Oh hcc people; 20 point out at the same timo The
vast "1ltieo ana uutXpCnCoQ power whi.l al
ways ff@ites win reeolute anQ united pocpie,
"Lo caution th"m Hemns! af0usng public sem
uIient Nhich, icrfcliul of Justice and taxing
counsel IRON passion. might dCntroy the interest
( which We were thcn striving 90 prOiec.
The propuoty Of the proposed course was not
7 received by the Legislature with that unsnmity
80 essential % q suCct ssful solution Of the pro-
Diem. and resulted ia 10 action being taxon by
thai body.
{ a desire To rrohote The public welfare decided
mo 10 cali ON extra session Of the same body to
meet in this CITY on tho 18Th Of March. is27.
Tho recommendation which ] made to them
thc previous year for the appoint ment Of com
mission was renewed, and this tine was adopted
10y "a vote in the senate OF - ayes TO 10 noes and
ia The House by ~ ayos 20 noes. 4 Joint com
Inlttco ot tour members from the Senate ana six
ron thc Eousc, Inclusive Of the presiding officers
on each body, accordingly met Ia this city on the
>gth Of April last
After iabcrious session Of several weeks,
regret 60 say mat this Joint commission adjourn
ed ~ihou reaching a settlement,
To Che Gnal report of the legislative commit
tee, known as senate Document 10. 18, YOU ore
referred for Information regarding their ConfC-
ich.c with The houdhCiJors' commission. If tho
hlai proposal Of the English representatives,
h3d hf' accepted Dr ouv committee. and the
Outstanding obligations Of tie Stale funded un-
der tho terms proposed, it would have resulted
IN She state having 60 make provision for the re-
compton OF principal OF a debt Of 2i,o09 9l9,
ari the payment Of an annual interest Of Ss2}.
\ careful estimate Of the available revenue
Tor irat purpoae demonstrated hor inability 70
meet this demand. In any settlement en-
macinE annual payments greater than IN"
state could meet with her present income. de-
fault 80 the payment Of the interest would arise,
carrying, with hopo removed, a repetition o. the
experience derived from the States " Pandora
box the funding iii Of 1871.
AS lar a. could be asccrtq.ncd the English
commission represented about ~ Der cent OF the
coisol bonds ana som" 30 per cont OF ihc ten
ioiucs-thc Temcining bonds Of the last dcnom-
nauOu being h'ld in this country. 10 was there
fore thought that II q settlement could be made
with TIC English holders 10 would probably have
extended % hUul3 held b. others. No dispos- |
ton WG3 manifested by Sir Edward Thornton
ani his associates 90 make a settlement which
would involve any increase Of taxes They pro-
teseci % he willing 20 settle upon the amount
which would hc left Of the states revenue after
al other necessary expenses tad boen dctrayed
They would not accept The states figures az TO
that amount, nor could we accept their estimate.
THO conference, though unsuccessful. was in
some respects beneficial. II located with greater
ceriaiuty than over before The obligations OF tue
state. desire upon the part ot the common !
wealth 90 make a settlement within her ability /
20 ppy was manifested. while She declared posi- |
lively that the beuclt tho children Of her citi- |
Ieus were receiving az tho public schools should /
not he decreased. ~he insisted, too, that her /
fostering cnre should hc extended over 'he in /
sane, ggQ proclaimed that hex protecting erin /
eloall be thrown arOIud the disabled soldier /
ana sailor whose wounds 80 eloquenty ccruded /
MS devotion 10 Ais state. The action OF the 10 /
gisia'uro iu tho appointment Of the joint COM '
mittee, ami TIE proceedings or that committee, f.
received tho crcor-cni of the people 40 the polls.
for iu tlc recent election ior membcrs q TIE /
Legislature 40 word 90: dissent came nom the /
Lps Of she cdnQidstcs Ci either party and 80 lar /
as know the mode of tAe settlement ct the /
publ. debt Wa Lot matter OF discussion be- /
tween them. From such promises the cGuoe- /
sion is reached that both parties nre united in /
maintaining tic Gci approved February u, lss2. /
Can the ~tnfc efiU meet tht obligation OF thct /
measure withontan increase of taNoton7
in my message 10 the extra session Of the last |
Legislature Wiz be found q carefully prepared /
estimate ~ annual expenses Of tho govern /
mcut. hasei upon present annual appropriations /
90 public free schools, cicemosy nary institutions,
hud Institutions OF learning, which does not in /
clute anything for construction OF new buildings |
or ellarC emcu; ot those now owned by tGo state.
That tarie "a applicable now, and | respectfully /
call yolr attention % 10 in the appendix TO this /
message. marked Table No. An examination I
OF lt demonstrates tnat exclusive OF the interest
on the debt, except 10 institutions OF learning, /
which Is noW paid on the uniuncoc bonds held I
hy them. tire average annual expenditure OF the /
In a communication from the Auditor Of Pub !
tic Accounts transmitting an estimate of the an
nual re cipts Oi the Commonwealth from all /
sources. based upon tie assessments Of 1885, in !
Response 90 o resolution of me senate adopted /
tag 18Th Of March, iooi. the eHnua! roFenuo ot i
the state Is SGT down al s2.j2iS15.sl A copy Of /
this table is also appended, marked Iable No. Z.
From tlceo statements 1t is asceraned thar
OF Interest other ihau that upon bonds held by /
institutions Of learning is SiJi,55G1
Ihc annual interest 10 be provided Tor II all /
outstanding obligations "ere funded into bonds !
uudor thc act approved February II, 1872, OK /
cept thosc held by institutions Of learning, would
be SCi> i20l. In order, therefore, 10 carry ont /
tnc Vr0,i .i0ns ol that act the sum OF Sls3.jS5si
would have TO be annually raised in addition 70
the urcscu. revenues. But vi list th8 deficiency
i- shown il win De borne in mind mat The nd i
dlebcrrcr bonds he'd by the Commissioners Of +
tff.f trIv n a
and con hc cancelled, that the stock held by TIE
state iu iho Richmond, Fredericksburg aud 20 I
tomac Railroad Company en- be sold and the
proceeds used IN the purchase ol klddleberPer
tou.s, or tEo dividends upon said stock now
c.ics into the hands OF The Sinking Fund Com
mlasOners cen DO used IN the payment OF IN /
forest upon State stock held By tho United states
which interest funded into EiddlcDereer bonds
is sic,4l1.Sl Dor cnnum, because the state holds
q cla.m against Tho United states ia excess OF
value OF rdch bonds
emo b,lalce on hlnI in the Treasury October
I. 1881, va. t3J2.lSi.2 tho receipts duupg the /
pssi Gs.o yeas, coding september 30. lsd7 /
amounted 90 80 t3@35 -. During the same pc !
riog tue disbursements amounted toS@65., ,DS25.
g.iag 81 ,.}i.J2 more tnar the revenue. but ill., I
clIacI in the expenditures for the past fiscal
year i- &i,U,O.ci, whichwas advanced under the
ac. approved April q, lti, % the ueesurers OF I
the counties for tie support Of the public schools
until tie taxes could De collected for that pur-
po7o Oi thatamount l,ol5.os has been already
,rn-sc disbursements also embrace special ap-
preparations 90 the building funds OF the East
| Crl. Western, o0uthv cstcrn, and Central Luna
. u- A~yiuoas. ane tothc Colorod Normal school !
ltan) includes ;t22JO PAID 10 tho Washington
and Leo inNcisl.y, being the last arrears OF in-
t,r,et due on t0nds held by u, aud $4,000 used
ny thc Commi si9ucrs OF the Snkin tund IN
purchase OF HildiebcrgCr bonds. u also com
prise5 ,he interest paid on Rildleber - toDds |
ara coupons forced into the Troa4' -, which, /
heIu- redeemed, roproseut interest on the pub
lic debt. on the other hand, IN all calculations
Us 90 the amount Of revenue In tho future, II
niust oo remembered that the revenue may DO
reduced Ia proportion g. the adoption OF local
opuln 10y the several cities and counties. The
Whole sum tho state now derives from liceuse-
AK on liquors Is about $4,000 per uu4gm.
It must also be remembered that the law
(;Wolith article Of toe Constitution provides
that next year The yOto mus, be taSon whether
convention shall meet in lsS9 % revise the Con-
siiulton, and IN case such convention shall be
called, financial provision will have 70 bo made
for it's expense.
Tho number Of taxrecciyeDle coupons out
stauding az tho end of the last fiscal year
namely, the JJth of September. ISSl-was ti2lS.-
cos 50 IEo number OF taX-receivaOie cOuoOns
which found their wev int1 thr Treasury
judgments for taxes during the lat fiscal year
NRs SSl ,Ge0.i0.
IA this connection your attention Is called %
tho extract Irom the report Of The Second Auditor
for tac nscal year ending september -, 1885,, Ia
~ tatt In a tanle nuTEpu